In a new interview with Ronni Hunter of Columbus, Ohio's 99.7 The Blitz radio station, SHINEDOWN frontman Brent Smith was asked what he looks forward to doing the most once he gets off the road after a long tour. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm an anomaly when it comes to the rest of the guys that I'm in a band with. We all have families, but I don't actually own a home. So I have lived in hotels pretty much my entire life, or at least the duration of… Like, the last 20 years I've been a gypsy by every account. But the thing is that I had a house in 2011; I owned it in California. [I had it] from about 2011 to 2016, and then I sold it to a family of four because I was never in the home. And so I've been on the road and living in and out of hotels since roughly 2016. But when I do go home, and home is where your heart is, the way that I look at things, and where my heart is is with my 14-year-old son who is in Florida. So I'm with him 90 percent of the time when I'm off the road right now — I'm in Florida with him — but there's definitely no kicking up my feet and [laughs] hanging out, because having a 14-year-old is a roller-coaster ride. He's a great kid, but when I'm home, I'm dad. And the other thing, too, is me and his mother are really, really close and she has a son with another man. And we're very much a blended family, and we spend holidays together, we ring in the new year together, we try to always be with one another when I'm in Florida.

"The reality is that as these boys are getting older, there's a responsibility that we have as we're co-parenting — the three of us, really," Brent added. "And that's something that I don't take for granted, that I'm able to, when I am off the road, that having that stability for our kids is a big deal. 'Cause I've never made it about me. And the cool thing, too, is my son just doesn't really care that his dad is in a band, because it's never been about me when I'm home, and he's very much into sports. He's an awesome basketball player; he looks like he's got some pretty significant game. A lot of basketball practice, a lot of just trying to get him locked in to his school work. School in this day and age is not like school when I was a kid; it's way different. They demand a lot more responsibility of the kids at a younger age. And [we're] just trying to keep him focused and on point, make sure that we're guiding him and his brother in the right direction."

Last October, Smith told the FM99 WNOR radio station that he never pushed his son to follow in his footsteps. "Growing up, I always wanted him to pick his path; I want him to go in the direction that he wants to go," he said. "And it's really a beautiful thing in a lot of ways, 'cause he's his own dude; he's his own guy. When I'm with him, we don't talk about me; it's all him.

"I've told him this before, and he understands it. I'm, like, 'I can be your friend later. I'm your father. I'm your dad. I'm responsible for you. And I wanna give you encouragement. I wanna set you up with understanding the value of hard work, that your word should be bond, and to be honest and to be a gentleman.' And I have to say he's exhibiting all of those great traits. Because I want him to be a real man. I want him to understand who he is. Later on in life, he may be more interested in it or what have you, but I just try to never make it about me…. The other thing, too — I'm not the tallest guy in the world; I'm five [feet] eight [inches tall]. My son is 13 and he's already almost a foot taller than me… It's, like, 'How's it going up there, son?'

"My son is really respectful. It's a very proud moment for me too. All of his teachers go out of their way to let me know that he's extremely charismatic but he's also not cliquey at all. He is friends with everyone. They're always very open with me about how… His teachers have said, 'He's one of the most empathetic kids here.' It doesn't mean he's a pushover. But people, they gravitate towards him. And that makes me feel good, man, 'cause I always want him to be respectful."

Four years ago, Brent said that his "number one priority in life" was his son. "I think how my success is determined is by how much time I can give to my son," he said at the time. "I keep it very private in the world that he lives in — like teachers at school, people around him, they don't really know what his dad does, because me and his mother, who are really really good friends even though we're not together anymore, have a respect for each other and she knows that I want him to have a childhood. I want him to have an upbringing that is healthy, not only physically and mentally but where he is not pigeonholed into one particular group because of who his dad is. That's my success: making sure he has a childhood, making sure he gets everything he needs for himself, but also making sure he understands that he has to work for it. So, my success is bringing up my son and him being a great man when it's time for him to become one. He's so amazing on so many levels, so I measure my success by him."

More than a decade ago, Smith credited his son with saving his life. "I stopped doing drugs," he said. "I was immensely addicted to cocaine and oxycontin. I was being the clichéd rock star. Cocaine and oxycontin I got hooked on real bad, but my son saved me from my vanity and selfishness. I'm lucky to be alive. I wasn't knocking on death's door; I was in the room doing shots with death."

SHINEDOWN's new album, "Planet Zero", will be released on April 22 via Atlantic Records.

"It all started as a game, something fun to do. As it should be."


And with that, Donna Cannone was born. Former Thundermother member Giorgia Cateri (guitars) and her fellow Italian ex-pat Luca D’Andria found themselves heading to a rehearsal room to play some music and, in their own words, "have some fun." Giorgia’s former Thundermother bandmate Tilda Stenqvist was brought in on drums as the trio began putting together a number of new songs. A knock at the door brought a surprise as, guitar in hand, Björn ‘Speed’ Strid (Soilwork, The Nightflight Orchestra) had heard what the band were up to and wanted in. Keen to express himself as a lead guitarist, the world-renowned singer was impressed with what he’d heard the fledgling trio coming up with and soon the quartet were recording demos. One of these demos fell into the hands of Swedish label Despotz Records and a deal was soon done.


The first fruits of this deal were a brace of well-received singles – "Cross The Line" and "Nothing To Do", both of which saw the band picking up support across the world and alerting everyone to the presence of Donna Cannone. 




May 27, 2022 will see the release of the band’s debut album via Despotz Records. It’s ten tracks of hook-laden songs, bristling with a punk attitude and a keen ear for melodic rock ‘n roll. Like every other band, Donna Cannone have been in a holding pattern with the album, waiting for the optimum time to launch their eponymous debut into the world. There will be a third single in the shape of "Is It True", (featuring a guest appearance from former Crucified Barbara singer/guitarist Mia Karlsson) before the band head out on tour with a string of live appearances booked across Europe. 


The album has been mixed by celebrated Swedish producer Chris Laney and mastered by the equally revered Dan Swano at Unisound. The cover art can be seen below.





"Cross The Line"





"Nothing To Do"





 

During an appearance on the latest episode of Full Metal Jackie's nationally syndicated radio show, JUDAS PRIEST singer Rob Halford spoke about his decision to go public with his battle with prostate cancer. Asked if it is correct to say that he is currently in remission, meaning that cancer is responding to treatment or is under control, Halford said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes, I am." He then added: "Guys and girls, you've gotta look after yourself. You've gotta keep this temple, you've gotta keep the heavy metal temple clean and ready to deal with whatever comes your way. And one of them, for me, was my prostate cancer issue.

"Let me quickly tell you: I should have listened to my doctors, because my doctors were saying, 'Hey, this PSA [prostate-specific antigen] level is a bit high.' [And I said,] 'I've gotta do a tour. I'll do it when I come back,'" he continued. "So I missed a couple of opportunities whereby if I had had the treatment earlier, the treatment wouldn't have been as difficult as it was. But, hey, we got through it. I had a wonderful team of medical people that looked after me in Phoenix [Arizona, where I live].

"It happened while we were in the full-on pandemic," Halford explained. "So I was in the valley having the prostate removed and then [laughs] two weeks of the catheter, and then [laughs], of course, a little bit of radiation, a couple of months of radiation. But I came through it [thanks to] these beautiful, incredibly talented people. And I'm in remission. But I will throw this out — guys, get your blood test done, get the checks done. We're going through colorectal cancer month right now [in March]. So please look after yourselves. It's so important. Onward and upward."

Rob also talked about his decision to mention his cancer battle in the new chapter added to the updated paperback edition of "Confess".

"I think it was important [to talk about it], because for everybody it's incredibly scary," he said. "The first thing my guy doctor told me, he goes, 'You've got cancer. I'm gonna take your prostate out. Come with me to this other room.' And my world starts really... 'Oh my god. I've got cancer...' I think that's a very natural reaction. And he goes, 'Have you got a question?' I go, 'Am I going to die?' He goes, 'No, you're not going to die. I'm gonna do this. I'm gonna do this.' They're so positive and they're so reinforcing yourself through those early few days of understanding your condition.

"And I'll tell you something, as I said in the book, I felt so terribly selfish, because [I thought], 'Oh God, I've got cancer. I've got cancer.' And then I see these commercials for Phoenix children's hospital and these little kids — little kids — with cancer fighting for their lives. And I go, 'For God's sake, you got so far in your life and you've got this to deal with and you've got the most incredibly talented people to look after you and make you well.'

"So it was a readjustment for me," Rob said. "I was really, really ashamed of myself to have that kind of perspective. But I pushed through that, and then I just got on with the job that needed to be done. And yeah, we went into gory and amusing details in that edition of 'Confess'."

Halford went on to say that cancer treatment has improved dramatically in recent years and that fewer patients die of cancer than ever before.

"As a younger person, the 'C' word [cancer], as it used to be called, for a lot of people, the outcome was gonna be remarkably different to where we are today," he said. "It's just fantastic, the way that the improvements and the way that people are treated now. It's given everybody many, many greater chances of living long, healthy lives. And so we should all be grateful for that."

In "Confess", Halford revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer after experiencing symptoms for at least a couple of years.

In July 2020, Rob underwent prostatectomy, an operation where the entire prostate gland is removed plus some of the tissue around it, including the seminal vesicles. After more cancer was found last year, he went through radiation treatments in April and May 2021 and eventually got then all-clear in June 2021. He also had an appendectomy after a tumor was discovered on his appendix.

"It's been a draining year, I can't deny it, but I'm delighted to have come through it," Halford wrote in the book. "I feel like I've had the most thorough MOT that a Metal God can have."

Halford's cancer battle is one of a number of health scares the members of PRIEST have had to deal with in recent years. Last September, guitarist Richie Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival. Faulkner was rushed to the UofL Health - Jewish Hospital where the cardiothoracic surgery team needed approximately 10 hours to complete a life-saving surgery.

PRIEST guitarist Glenn Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years ago — after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — but announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of the band's latest album, "Firepower". He was replaced by "Firepower" producer Andy Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.

"Confess" was released in September 2020 via Hachette Books. It was written with Ian Gittins, co-writer of "The Heroin Diaries" by Nikki Sixx.

DREAM THEATER singer James LaBrie spoke to Robert Cavuoto of Myglobalmind about the band winning its first-ever Grammy in the "Best Metal Performance" category in the pre-telecast ceremony at the 64th annual Grammy Awards, which was held on April 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. DREAM THEATER was nominated for "The Alien", a track from its 2021 album "A View From The Top Of The World". DREAM THEATER's previous Grammy nominations were for the song "On The Backs Of Angels", from 2011's "A Dramatic Turn Of Events" album, and the single "The Enemy Inside" from 2013's "Dream Theater".

He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, it was overwhelming, the feeling, and it was quite surreal and it took a while for it to sink in — I think a couple of days before I was, like, 'Wow. Okay. So actually did happen. I guess the third time's the charm, 'cause we were nominees a couple of times before for 'On The Backs Of Angels' and 'The Enemy Inside'.

"When it happened and our name was called and then [DREAM THEATER guitarist] John [Petrucci] went up on stage, I thought he did an amazing acceptance speech," he continued. "He was well poised and well worded, as always; he's a very intelligent individual.

"It's an amazing feeling. I guess it's another level of recognition for us and another feather in our cap, so to speak," LaBrie added. "But, no, it's just a great feeling and it's affirmation as to the kind of band that we are and how we've been around for some time. And it's good to get that recognition from the Grammy [Awards]."

In his acceptance speech, Petrucci said: "Wow, this is absolutely insane. On behalf of the entire band, I'd like to thank the Recording Academy and everybody who voted for us.

"You know, they used to tell us our songs were way too long, we used weird time signatures and there were too many guitar solos. In fact, this song is in 17/8, so try to tap your foot to it. But we just won a Grammy, so I'm glad we didn't listen...

"All the DREAM THEATER fans around the world, you guys rock. We love you. For fans of prog and prog metal, stay true to your art. And it's alive and well."

The nominees in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2022 Grammy Awards were as follows:

* "Genesis" - DEFTONES

* "The Alien" - DREAM THEATER

* "Amazonia" - GOJIRA

* "Pushing The Tides" - MASTODON

* "The Triumph Of King Freak (A Crypt Of Preservation And Superstition)" - ROB ZOMBIE

Last December, Petrucci discussed DREAM THEATER's latest Grammy nomination during an appearance on MACHINE HEAD frontman Robb Flynn's "No Fuckin' Regrets With Robb Flynn" podcast. He said: "The first [Grammy] nomination we had, FOO FIGHTERS were on there. And they won it. I remember Dave Grohl had said something like, 'Oh, they should have got this,' which I thought was nice. But this time, I don't know if I'm gonna remember all of [the other artists that were nominated], but I think it's GOJIRA and MASTODON [that we are up against], and it's a cool list. I remember there were a couple of years where I was surprised at the nominees — it seemed a little bit strange — but this seems appropriate. So we'll see. It's fun. It's an honor to get nominated. It's cool. Doing what we do and the way that we do it and getting recognized in that world is something that I never would have expected. And now for us, this is the third [nomination], so it's cool. It's a good feeling."

When "The Alien" was first released in August 2021, Petrucci stated about the track: "It's the first one we wrote together. It gives people a window into what it was like when we initially met up after all of those months off. It has the adventure, the untraditional structure, the heaviness, and the hooks. It really set the tone for the album. James [LaBrie, vocals] wrote the lyrics about the idea of terraforming and looking beyond our Earth for alternative settlements. Since we're going beyond our planet, 'The Alien' turns out to be us. I thought it was a cool and creative lyric by James."

This year's Grammy nominations were announced on November 23, 2021. The nominations were revealed during a livestream from the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, which featured Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. and Board Of Trustees chair Tammy Hurt, as well as some special guests.

The eligibility period for the 64th annual Grammy Awards was September 1, 2020, through September 30, 2021.

VIO-LENCE singer Sean Killian spoke to George Dionne of KNAC.COM about VIO-LENCE/ex-MACHINE HEAD guitarist Phil Demmel's recent revelation that he will miss some of VIO-LENCE's upcoming gigs due to his touring commitments with other projects. Killian said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "[Phil has] been asked by LAMB OF GOD to be able to step in for 'em, 'cause a couple of the guys in the band are not down with doing the vaxx," referring to the COVID-19 vaccine, "so if there's countries that are still closed by the time they go out, he'll go out. But we have a solid backup already ready to go. And he's someone that a lot of people know; I just don't wanna say who it is. You don't wanna put it out there and then not have it happen. But if Phil's not there [at some of the VIO-LENCE shows], the guy that will be there is just as good as Phil is on the axe. He's a shredder. And everyone knows him, so if I told you, you would know right away."

Demmel filled in for LAMB OF GOD guitarist Willie Adler during the band's January appearance on the ShipRocked cruise. Phil also toured the U.S. in March with OVERKILL as the temporary replacement for Dave Linsk.

Last August, Killian revealed that he was hospitalized with COVID-19 after his lung capacity was compromised. But he later defended his own decision to not take the coronavirus vaccine, saying "it's about freedom" for him. The 57-year-old musician, who battled stage four liver cirrhosis five years ago, said: "I'm a free man. I'm internal. My freedom comes from within, not from anyone else. Nobody determines my freedom. So, don't step on my freedom — that's all. And don't step on other people's [freedom]… My business is not someone else's business. Like I said, my freedom's internal. I decide — no one else."

Last month, VIO-LENCE released a new EP, "Let The World Burn", via Metal Blade Records. The five-song collection, VIO-LENCE's first original release since 1993's "Nothing To Gain", was tracked at Trident Studios in Pacheco, California by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS), mixed by Tue Madsen (DARK TRANQUILLITY, HEAVEN SHALL BURN) and mastered by Ted Jensen (ALICE IN CHAINS, DEATH ANGEL).

Filling out the band's ranks on "Let The World Burn" alongside Demmel, Killian and original drummer Perry Strickland are former OVERKILL guitarist Bobby Gustafson and former FEAR FACTORY bassist Christian Olde Wolbers.

VIO-LENCE reunited soon after Demmel left MACHINE HEAD in late 2018.

FOZZY guitarist Rich Ward spoke to SW Wall Interviews about the band's "Save The World" 2022 U.S. tour, which kicked off on March 31 in Detroit, Michigan and will wrap on May 16 in Sauget, Illinois. Asked what fans can expect to see at the shows, the 53-year-old musician said: "FOZZY really started off as a live band. The fact that someone signed us and gave us the ability to start making records was something that we learned to do over time. Our strength really still lies in being a tremendously entertaining band. And anyone who knows anything about [FOZZY singer] Chris Jericho knows just his natural ability to be the premier showman in any business that he's in. Chris is, I would say, in the top five of all frontmen in the business today. And then the band that Chris has is a bunch of killers. All of us have been in bands our entire life, and we've built this incredible team of friends and family around him, and it's exciting, man."

Ward also talked about FOZZY's latest addition, drummer Grant Brooks. Grant joined FOZZY in January following the departure of longtime drummer Frank Fontsere.

"We'd seen Grant play every night over a period of time, because Grant was in a band called THROUGH FIRE that opened for FOZZY on a couple of different tours," Rich explained

"The hardest part about being in a band is not 'is it going to work musically?' The hardest part is, 'How's the chemistry?' 'How are you gonna work as a team?' So for people who have never been in a situation where you played in a band or… It's no different than a sports franchise. You can be a fantastic point guard, but if you don't play well with the team, it doesn't matter. It really comes down to chemistry and how all of those separate players play together. And that's what makes a band incredible.

"So, we knew that Grant was a fantastic guy and that we really enjoyed hanging with him," Ward added. "We knew he was a great player. So all we needed to do was just kind of get in a rehearsal space with him, play through a few songs and see how that clicked. We knew immediately after the first couple of songs that this was a good fit. And we're now a week into our first tour with him, and he's killing it."

FOZZY's new album, "Boombox", will be released on May 6. The LP, which includes the top 10 singles "Nowhere To Run" and "Sane", was once again produced by Johnny Andrews.

Ward and Andrews once again did "the lion's share" of the songwriting for the new LP, which was recorded primarily in Atlanta, Georgia.

In addition to producing "Judas", Andrews previously co-wrote FOZZY's "Lights Go Out" track back in 2014. He has also written songs with the likes of ALL THAT REMAINS, THREE DAYS GRACE and HALESTORM.

FOZZY is Jericho, Ward, Brooks, Billy Grey (guitars) and P.J. Farley (bass).

Swedish extreme metal band Darkane have just released a new video for the song "Convicted" from their debut album Rusted Angel, originally issued in 1999, to celebrate its re-release on all digital platforms on Friday, April 15th.


The new clip, which can be seen below, was filmed by Philipp Koch in 2014 at Bibelot Poppodium in Dordrecht, Netherlands.







Pre-save or pre-add Rusted Angel in digital format here. CD and LP will be available later on. Darkane's complete back catalogue will be re-released over the coming weeks, further details to follow shortly.





Late last month, Darkane announced that they are going to release their long-awaited new studio album Inhuman Spirits on June 24, 2022 via Massacre Records.


It was mixed and mastered by Lawrence Mackrory at Rorysound Studios, and is packed with intense, brutal, groovy and catchy melodic death/thrash metal!


The cover artwork - available below - was created by Mathias Blom / The Happy Creative.


Inhuman Spirits will soon be available to pre-order as a CD Digipak and limited edition vinyl LP as well as in digital formats.





For further details, visit Darkane on Facebook.


 

STAIND frontman Aaron Lewis bashed President Joe Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci over vaccine mandates and other policies during a recent concert in Tennessee.

The 49-year-old Lewis, an outspoken conservative rocker who reinvented himself as a solo country artist in the last decade, voiced his views on the current political situation in the U.S. before performing his single called "Am I The Only One" during his April 3 concert at The Caverns in Pelham.

He told the crowd (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "So I'm not gonna get too crazy with this intro. It's gotten me in trouble before.

"Nobody likes to hear the truth anymore. I don't understand what is going on. The truth. Does anybody remember what that concept is? My God, it's so dumbed down. We don't even know what our responsibility is as the owners of this fucking country. We own this country — all of us. Every one of you, you own this country. It's yours — until it's not. And then you know whose it is? It's your fucking kids'. Your kids inherit this fucking disaster that we have allowed to happen when we're gone.

"Are we gonna allow this to happen? Are we gonna stand up for our children?

"Every one of us was alive before all this craziness began. We all know what the fucking truth is. And what they're spewing daily and stuffing down our fucking throats is not the truth. It's not."

After some of Lewis's fans in the crowd started chanting "Fuck Joe Biden!", Aaron continued: "God, I wish it was just Joe Biden. I wish it was that simple as if it was just Joe Biden. It's fucking not. Joe Biden doesn't know what fucking day it is right now," Aaron said, suggesting that Biden is senile and mentally unfit for office. "He just shit his pants for the third time today, as I'm speaking right now, probably in bed. [Doing an impression of Joe Biden calling out to his wife] 'Oops. Jill! Jill! Jill! I shit the bed again. Go get the dog. He always cleans up after me. Jill! Hunter!' he added, referencing Joe Biden's son who has been the center of a number of conspiracy theories in conservative media.

"It's funny — where the fuck's Hunter? And where the fuck is Fauci? That motherfucker. You all saw the video that's going around, right? Stating clearly and unequivocally that getting a virus and living through it is the best immunity of any immunity," Lewis said, referencing a 2004 video of the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases talking about the strength of natural immunity. In the 18-year-old video, Fauci tells a caller suffering from the flu that she should not the vaccine if she has had the flu for 14 days because "the best vaccination is to get infected yourself." Aaron continued: "Which every motherfucker in this room got COVID. We all lived through it, and we're all more protected. [Fauci] said it. He fucking said it, as he lied to our faces for two fucking years," Aaron added, apparently discounting the fact that COVID-19 is not seasonal, spreads more easily, is far deadlier than the flu and therefore requires a different public health response.

Realizing that he his rant went on a lot longer than he originally intended it to be, Lewis told the crowd: "I can't even help it. I can't help it. I will speak truth to power until I'm fucking dead. Because my children deserve it. My grandchildren deserve to enjoy the same experience in the United States Of America that I did when I was a kid."

Last November, Lewis claimed that he beat COVID-19 by taking ivermectin, a drug with no evidence of being a safe or effective treatment for the novel coronavirus. He said he also used Z-Pak, an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections by inhibiting the growth of bacteria in the body.

Lewis made headlines last September when he urged his fans to chant "Fuck Joe Biden" during a STAIND concert in Pennsylvania.

Aaron told the Anchorage Press in a January 2020 interview that he considered the first Donald Trump impeachment by the House Of Representatives as the clearest representation of what's wrong with America these days.

Lewis was a staunch critic of President Barack Obama, telling a crowd at one of his solo concerts in 2016: "Barack Obama should have been impeached a long fucking time ago. Every fucking decision he makes is against the Constitution, it's against what's good for our fucking country, and he is truly the worst fucking president that we have ever had in the history of this fucking country."

That same year, Lewis told Billboard that he would support Trump in the U.S. presidential race, even though he was "disappointed" by the real estate mogul "with the bickering and the name-calling." Lewis added that he voted for Senator Ted Cruz, Trump's closest competitor in the Republican nomination race, in the Massachusetts primary.

Canadian progressive death metal quintet Truent will self-release their full-length debut album, Through The Vale Of Earthly Torment, on June 17.


The official video for album track "The Last Hunt" can be seen below.







Born in a small town outside of Vancouver, BC, Truent is an exhilarating Canadian metal act on the rise. Combining massive riffs, head-spinning technicality, and sharp songwriting, Truent has crafted a crushing brand of groove-laden progressive death metal that is uniquely their own. 


The band has released the following statement concerning the forthcoming new album:


"Written and recorded while the world was being ravaged by the pandemic, Through The Vale Of Earthly Torment was an exercise in escapism for us from the grim realities of life in turbulent times. While not a concept album in the traditional sense, we turned to themes of mythology and lore, exploring how people from all corners of the globe across all time periods have used myths to create vivid descriptions of their values. Each song centres itself around a creature or deity, and each of these entities are made to represent one of the seven deadly vices, giving the album a consistent through-line to follow." 


"Musically, we expanded our sound with influences from all across the heavy music spectrum in order to create the most dynamic record we could. The songs weave together pummeling and technical riffs, triumphant choruses, and a number of oddball moments that hit seemingly from nowhere. There’s a wide mix of subgenres and sounds we explore throughout the album, often within the same song. We incorporate elements of everything from tech death to thrash metal to metallic hardcore into the records core sound of groove-filled progressive death metal. We do not want to be an easy band to categorize, and we feel this record is our most diverse work to date."





Tracklisting:


"Blood And Dust"
"Usurper Of The Sky"
"Silk And Bone"
"The Last Hunt"
"This Verdant Coil"
"In The Mire"
"Scathe Of Branches"
"Damned To The Deep"


Keaton Campbell from Of Modern Architecture contributes guest vocals to "Scathe Of Branches". 


Pre-order your digital copy of Through The Vale Of Earthly Torment now at this location.


(Photo credit: Savannah Bagshaw) 


 

New SKID ROW singer Erik Grönwall has uploaded a video of him playing an acoustic cover version of GUNS N' ROSES' "Nightrain" with his longtime friend Philip Näslund, recorded in SKID ROW's dressing room prior to one of the band's performances as the support act on SCORPIONS' Las Vegas residency.

In a message accompanying the YouTube release of the video, Erik wrote: "My buddy Philip flew in to Las Vegas to check out the SKID ROW show and we just had to jam a bit.

"I won't always be able to give you the full studio experience and that's why I started this unplugged playlist. I want to be able to release music on this channel even when I'm on the road.

"Philip and I went to high school together and started our first metal band RAID when we were 16-17. He was the guy who introduced me to all these great rock bands like SKID ROW. He's had a huge influence on my singing. He moved to L.A. when we graduated and has been working as a producer, songwriter and guitar player since then."

Grönwall recently joined SKID ROW as the replacement for ZP Theart, who had been in the group for more than six years.

SKID ROW played its first show with Grönwall on March 26. During its nine-song set, SKID ROW performed its new single, "The Gang's All Here", which was made available last month. The song is the title track of the band's upcoming album, which will arrive on October 14 via earMUSIC.

SKID ROW recorded most of "The Gang's All Here" in Nashville, Tennessee with producer Nick Raskulinecz, who has previously worked with FOO FIGHTERS, STONE SOUR, HALESTORM, EVANESCENCE, RUSH and ALICE IN CHAINS, among many others.

SKID ROW bassist Rachel Bolan discussed Grönwall's addition to the band in a recent interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station. Asked about the "stresses and challenges of bringing a new singer into the band," Bolan said: "It is a challenge and you're under a microscope for sure. This time was different, though, man; it's just different. His ability and his… just the way he does things and his work ethic is one I've never seen other than the four of us that are already in the band. He just doesn't stop until he gets things absolutely right. Whether it's his version, what he thinks is right, or what we think is right, he works hard — he works hard. And you can see why he had the success he did overseas because he's a really, really hard-working singer that takes care of his instrument and that takes pride in his craft."

Rachel also reflected on SKID ROW's first live performance with Grönwall, saying: "We all really wanted to get that first one under our belt, that first show as a whole. But we just were, like, 'Okay, let's do this, man.' 'Cause we had two days of rehearsal. We got together on a Wednesday and a Thursday, then we took a day off so he could rest his voice. And plus he's jetlagged by nine hours. And then we all got together and talked. And it was, like, 'Okay, let's try and get this rhythm of the pace of the show' and this and that. And then the first down beat hit, we were out on stage, and I just remember looking over at Snake [guitarist Dave Sabo] after Erik started singing, I look at Snake and he was just smiling. We're tough guys; we're not supposed to smile onstage… Honestly, dude, from the minute he opened his mouth… His timing is impeccable. We knew it was gonna be cool. And each show has gotten even better, 'cause we're learning each other's rhythm on stage. When I walked away from that show, I said to Erik, I go, 'This was show one. I cannot wait for show one hundred. It's gonna be amazing.'"

Bolan previously talked about how Erik came to join SKID ROW during an appearance on the latest episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation L.A. Invasion", recorded just hours before SKID ROW's first performance with the Swedish singer. "We toured together. H.E.A.T. was on tour with SKID ROW. What year was that? '18? And we'd hear him every night from the dressing room," he said. "And a couple of times, I was, like, 'Man, listen to this guy sing. He's phenomenal.' And then, I forget who told me, someone that was with us, 'Yeah, he won 'Idol' in Sweden.' And I was, like, 'Man, he's got pipes.' And I was listening. Then I went behind the monitor board a couple of times. And in my head, I'm, like, 'Wow! When SKID ROW has some downtime, I'm gonna get in touch with this dude and start a side project with him.' And obviously, that never happened. But as time went on and we got to the point to where we were with ZP and stuff, Erik was our first… I told Snake, I go, 'We've gotta check this guy out.' And along with Snake and the rest of the guys, and Nick, our producer, Nick Raskulinecz, were, like, 'He's the guy, man. Send him some songs.' So we sent him some songs that we were recording, just with a guide vocal on it, and it came back about 24 hours later, and we were, like, 'All right. He's the guy. Get him on a plane. Let's do this.'"

He continued: "We've been recording this record… We've never done it like this before. He's been recording at his house in Sweden and sending it to Nick and sending it to Snake and I, and we've just been going, 'Okay, change this part. Do this. Do this.' And I just found out last night at dinner, he's, like, 'I've never recorded myself this before.' [Laughs] And I was, like, 'I'm so glad I didn't know that.' As if my stress level isn't high enough. I would have just completely combusted right there. But, yeah, man, and then actually Tuesday [March 22], when we all flew to Vegas for rehearsals, was the first time we met face to face — other than on tour; we saw each other in the hallway a couple of times. But other than that, Tuesday was the first time, other than a Zoom call, that we met face to face."

Touching upon the circumstances that led to SKID ROW's split with Theart, Sabo said: "It got to a point where the situation with Zee kind of put itself forth where we had to make a decision, because something still wasn't working correctly. And that's when the idea with Erik came up. And ironically enough, years ago, a good friend of mine, Rob Hoffman, had said, 'If something ever happens, there's this guy in Sweden.' And he said the same thing to our manager as well years ago. And all of a sudden, as life happens, it kind of came full circle and it became a reality.

"I've been on a high for probably the last month, just hearing the way the songs are coming out, seeing the enthusiasm in everybody, seeing the positive reactions we're getting from playing it for people," Snake added. "And it feels so amazing. I feel like I'm 25 years old again… But it's been an incredible experience, and the way this whole thing has sort of come to fruition, it makes you just go, 'Man, there's something going on that's beyond our control.' The stars aligned, if you will."

Grönwall sang on H.E.A.T.'s last four studio albums — "Address The Nation" (2012), "Tearing Down The Walls" (2014), "Into The Great Unknown" (2017) and "H.E.A.T II" (2020) — before exiting the group in October 2020.

Grönwall was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021. A short time later, he wrote on his social media: "I am extremely privileged and grateful to live at a day and age where a disease like this is curable. There's been so much progress made in this field. My body is reacting well to the treatment but it's a long treatment and it's going to be the toughest challenge of my life so far, for me and my family."

Last September, Grönwall released his cover version of SKID ROW's "18 And Life" via all streaming platforms. At the time, he said about his version of the track: "This song was basically the starting point of my professional career as an artist. I performed this song during my 'Swedish Idol' audition back in 2009. 12 years later it's time to give this bad boy a try again. Here's my version of the SKID ROW song '18 And Life'."

In 2018, Grönwall debuted in the U.S. for 10 million viewers in NBC's live broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's and Tim Rice's musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Along with John Legend, Alice Cooper, Sara Bareilles and others, Erik played the key role of Simon Zealotes.

The Dead Daisies have been in a Los Angeles studio working on the follow-up to 2021's Holy Ground with producer Ben Grosse. The album is slated for release in August, with first single out late May. The band have shared the video footage below:





The Dead Daisies recently released a new digital single, "Long Way To Go" (Live From Daisyland). A video for the song can be viewed below.







Says the band: "Drum roll... the next single from our Live From Daisyland EP is out on your favourite digital platforms on Friday! Check out 'Long Way To Go' (Live), with the amazing crowd at Rock City Nottingham UK. There's also a-rockin' clip! Check it out!"





The Dead Daisies kick off their summer in style with a massive pan European jaunt that’s set to radiate some heat. The first string of dates are a combination of arena and amphitheatre shows with Judas Priest, Foreigner and Whitesnake, performing at some of the most famous and coveted festivals such as Graspop Belgium and Hellfest France.


Debuting in Germany, the band will also play a series of headline performances. Rejoining The Dead Daisies is drummer extraordinaire Brian Tichy who will unite with Glenn, Doug and David for a massive dose of undiluted rock, the first in Europe since 2018. These will also be the first shows with this lineup.


“What a great way to start off 2022. I’m excited to get behind the drum kit and do some powerful, groovy rocking with my good friends Doug Aldrich, Glenn Hughes and David Lowy in The Dead Daisies! Looking forward to seeing you all out on tour this year!” - Brian Tichy


If you love to rock, then you’re in for one hell of a ride when the Daisies bring their hits, along with songs from Holy Ground and a couple of new tracks from the upcoming album to a venue near you.


“Hey loved ones, we cannot wait to come to Europe this summer and play for you all once again. There are so many beautiful cities to visit along the way. We are currently making a new record, so who knows hopefully we can bring a couple of new songs to you too!” - Glenn Hughes


You can book tickets here.





Tour dates:


June
3 - Stadtpark Freilichtbühne - Hamburg, Germany (with Foreigner)
4 - Spardawelt Freilichtbühne Killesberg - Stuttgart, Germany (with Foreigner)
5 - Buderus Arena - Wetzlar, Germany (with Foreigner)
8 - Zitadelle Spandau - Berlin, Germany (with Foreigner)
10 - Freilichtbühne Peißnitzinsel - Halle (Saale), Germany (with Foreigner)
13 - Matrix - Bochum, Germany
14 - Hirsch - Nuremberg, Germany
16 - Schlossgarten / Schloss - Bruchsal, Germany (with Foreigner)
18 - Hellfest - Clisson, France
19 - Graspop Festival - Dessel, Belgium
22 - Rockhal - Esch-Sur-Alzette, Luxembourg (with Judas Priest)
23 - Garage - Saarbrucken, Germany
25 - God Save The Kouign Fest - Penmarch, France
27 - Zenith - Munich, Germany (with Judas Priest)
29 - Conrad Sohm - Dornbirn, Austria
30 - Komma - Woergl, Austria


July
2 - Fabrique - Milan, Italy
3 - Castello Di San Giusto - Trieste, Italy
6 - SRC Tasmajdan - Belgrade, Serbia (with Whitesnake)
8 - Masters Of Rock - Vizovice, Czech Republic
9 - Hype Park - Krakow, Poland
11 - Budapest Arena - Budapest, Hungary, (with Judas Priest)
12 - Dvorana Stozice - Ljubljana, Slovenia (with Judas Priest)
15 - Faliro Olympic Indoor Hall - Athens, Greece (with Judas Priest)
17 - Midalidare Rock - Mogilovo, Bulgaria (with Judas Priest)
18 - Arenele Romane - Bucharest, Romania (with Judas Priest)
19 - Skenderija - Sarajevo, Bosnia (with Whitesnake)
26 - Theatre Antique - Vienne, France (with Judas Priest)
27 - Z7 - Pratteln, Switzerland
28 - Substage - Karlsruhe, Germany
30 - Freilichtbuhne Peißnitzinsel - Halle (Saale), Germany (with Judas Priest)
31 - Rudolf Weber Arena - Oberhausen, Germany (with Judas Priest)


August
2 - Brose Arena (Bab Bamberg Arena MBH) - Bamberg, Germany (with Judas Priest)
5 - Time To Rock Festival - Knislinge, Sweden


The Dead Daisies are Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple/Black Country Communion) on lead vocals and bass, lead guitarist Doug Aldrich (Whitesnake/Dio), rhythm guitar player David Lowy (Mink/Red Phoenix) and drummer Brian Tichy (Foreigner/Ozzy Osbourne).